100 signatures reached
To: RHon Jacinda Ardern, James Shaw Minister for Climate Change, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer co-leader Māori Party, Helen Worboys the Mayor of Feilding and Bridget Bell Councillor for Māori ward Feilding
Tiakina tō tātou hau / Save our air
Halt the building of the Pyrolysis Plant proposed in Feilding and decline the permit for emissions to air that they are applying for through the RMA. We have heard that the building has started but you have the power to halt this development. It was the government who declared a climate crisis, and it is the government who is wanting us to cut down on carbon emissions. The Pyrolysis plant will be emitting huge amounts of gas and carbon into the air as well as producing a huge amount of char (1) and slag (2) contaminating the ground. We want it stopped.
(1) a black carbon substance produced when a substance or material does not completely burn
(2) an industrial solid waste formed in fuel production
Why is this important?
Māori have deep seated beliefs of the natural world, that it has a spiritual mauri. This is why we had and still have entities that represent these natural resources. None of the RMA consents ever take this aspect of our beliefs into account. And now the Mauri of nature of Papatuānuku (earth) and Ranginui (sky), Tangaroa (sea), Tāne Mahuta (Forest) is dying, And we will also eventually die because of this. Māori suffer high rates of respiratory illness, cancer and early death not to mention ill mental health because of the systematic barrage of pollution of nature. Everyone will suffer mental illness because nature is dying. This pyrolysis plant will destroy our quality of air, land and waterways through its discharges and waste residue such as charcoal and slag. Thereby creating an unsafe environment for our descendants. We have a lot of polluting factors in this area such as a high volume of traffic and fumes, industrial waste, stench coming from the slaughter houses and their waste, a Pyrolysis plant will add to that pollution as it will be burning plastic as well. The plant needs to have a continuous feedstock which means all the rubbish from the lower North Island will be coming to Feilding! We want an environment now and into the future that is as healthy and sustainable as possible. The barrier to our success is the Horizons regional council and their consenting of such permits. They hear our submissions and our protest but go ahead with their various projects. None of which actually benefit tangata whenua. The other barrier is that the Council which should be listening to ALL of its constituents are putting money and profit before people and the need and want to preserve what we have for future generations. It is urgent because the plant itself is being built and the last piece of the puzzle (the emissions to air permit) is under consideration right now. We do have a time to put in our objections via submission but there is no guarantee that we will win. There is an urgency to pull out all the stops. The impact of your action will allow us to investigate and implement a Zero waste management operation, that will benefit our community via jobs for locals, encourage people to be conservative with their waste, to recycle, re-use , and repurpose. We would have repair cafes which encourage reusing furniture and so on instead of continually throwing unwanted items away.. It will also only deal with our local waste, not everyone's in the bottom of the North Island. Your help will make all the difference.